Curtain-stretcher.



P. 0. HOLMQUIST.

CURTAIN STRETCHER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 11. 1918.

1,326,196. Patented Dec. 30,1919.

- KIN-1 FTQ.

PETER 0. HOLMQUIST, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CURTAIN-STRETCHER.

Application filed March 11, 1918.

which the following is specification.

This invention relates to curtain stretchers and:has for its primary object the provision ofla novelhinge and connecting bracket for the longitudinal barsof. the. stretcher whereby the latter may be folded when the stretcher is. not in. use to. permit storage thereof within a minimum spaceandl. which will brace andholdthe bars rigidly in alinement..

A further object of my invention is the provision of meansin a folding curtain. stretcher whereby the longitudinal bars may be detachably connected so that their endssubstantially abut, thus permitting the pins to be disposed closely adjacent to the ends of the bars.

Further. objects and advantages of my invention. reside. in. the combinations hereinafter described, as willbeibetter understood by reference tothe. following specification when read in connection with the acc01n-- panying drawing, illustrating thepreferred embodiment thereof, in which- Figure 1- is a front. elevation of av curtain stretcher. embodyingmy invention;

Fig. 2 is. an edge view of the structure illustratedin Fig; 1; i

Fig. 3 is a detail in section through the stretcher onthe line .3.3 ofiF-ig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a similar. view on the line 47 1: of Fig.1, and

Fig. 5 is a detail in perspective of the hinge bracket.

Referring to the drawings, 5 indicates a center bar having: slots 6 therein to. receive pins 7 and fastening bolts 8. The pins 7 provide a pivotal; connection between the leaves 9. and. 10 ofhinge brackets, adapted to receiver the. ends to the side. bars.v 11. of thecurtain stretcher, and brace. the hinged brackets and consequently the; side bars. The-bolts. 8. pass. throughthe center bar 5 the leaves 9 and the; cooperating. sidebars '11 andtop platesll? and are provided with wing 'nuts 12, whereby the. parts are clamped in. assembled. relation.

Theleaves 9 and 10 of the hinge brackets are preferably stamped from. sheet metal and provided with flanges 13 and 14, and

Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented Dec. so, 1919.

Serial No. 221,591.

when inoperative position the leaves overlie each other as clearly indicated in Fig. 5, with the ends of their. flanges 13 and 14 abutting. The leaves 9 and Marc further provided with. flanges 15 and16. which together with the flanges 13 and 14: embrace the edges of the sidebars 1'1. An inturned integral lug 17 on the hinge leaf 9 is adapted to engage a suitable recess inthe cooperating side bar 11 to firmlylock the side bar in assembled relation therewith. A similar lug 18 onthe leaf 10 is adaptedto enter a. slot in the cooperating side bar 11 to prevent lateral movement of the sidebar when as sembled with the hinge. leaf. A. slot 19 in theedge of thehinge leaf 10 is adaptedto embrace the bolt 8 to further stiffen the structure. The end of the side.bar11.cooperating with thehingeleaf 10 is adapted to slip into and out of cooperative relation therewith, and is'heldin assembled relation by a bolt 20, passing through the side bar 11 and engaging a slot 21 in the edge of the hinge. leaf 10. A wing nut 22. on the bolt 20 enables the members, to be clamped in assembled relation.

The end bars 23 are providedat theirtupper ends with plates 241 and 25 secured thereto by rivets 26 extending through the end bars. The plates 25 are provided with inturned ends 27 adapted to engage longitudinal slots 28 in the sidebars 11. Bolts 29 extending through-the end bars 23 and plates 24 and 25 are provided with wing nuts. 30, permit the platestoibe drawntogether, thus securely clamping'the side bars 11. At their lower ends the end bars 23 are provided with hook shaped clamps 31. mounted on bolts 32 which operate in slots 33 in the end bars 23. The hook shaped clamps 31 are provided with inturned ends 34: engaging slots 35 in the lower side barsll. -lVi11g nuts 36 on the bolts 32 permit the parts to be. clamped in assembled relation. Theside and end bars 11 and 23. are provided with slots 36 to receivespring pins 37 which engage the fabric to be. stretchedat intervals throughout the lengths. of therespective side and end bars, to hold it in. stretched position.

As is. indicated in. Fig. 1 ofthedrawing, by reason ofthe construction described, the side bars 11 at the left of the figure. may be readily withdrawn from the hinge brackets by loosening the wing nuts. 22- after which the end bar 23 connecting the remaining side bars 11 may be withdrawn by loosening the wing nuts 30 and 36 and assembled with the first mentioned side bars, thus forming a curtain stretcher of half the normal size and adapted for sash curtains and the like. Upon separation of the end bar 23, the ends of the side bars 11 may again be assembled with the hinge brackets to permit use of the curtain stretcher for full size curtains. The end and side bars 11 and 23 are relatively adjustable by loosening the respective Wing nuts to accommodate the stretcher for ourtains of difl'erent sizes.

The marked advantage of my construction however, is the result of the provision of the hinge brackets comprising the leaves 9 and 10. These hinge brackets permit the side bars 11 to fold upon each other when the stretcher is not in use. Their construction is such that the ends of the side bars are permitted to substantially abut when the stretcher is assembled for use, so that the spring pins 37 may be disposed closely adjacent the joint. This permits the curtain to be held at regularly spaced points and the curtain may thus be uniformly stretched so that no wrinkles appear as necessarily occurs in other forms of folding curtain stretchers, because the pins cannot be placed closely adjacent to the joint between the side bars. The hinge brackets are braced by engagement of the pins 7 with the center bar and hold the side bars firmly in alinement, by reason of the engagement of the flanges 13 and 14 and lugs 17 and 18 therewith so that the stretching of the curtain is uniform throughout. The side bars are readily withdrawn from the hinge brackets by loosening the wing nuts 22 to permit adaptation of the stretcher for small curtains.

From the foregoing it will be readily understood that I have perfected a curtain stretcher, and more particularly a hinge bracket therefor, presenting numerous advantages over similar structures heretofore in use. The improvements embodied in the curtain stretcher herein described facilitates the assemblage and storage of the device which is consequently more useful and desirable than curtain stretchers which do not embody my improvements.

Various changes may be made in the form, arrangement and construction of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing any of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely the preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. In a curtain stretcher the combination of a pair of end bars, a pair of side bar sections adjustably connected to one of said end bars, another pair of side bar sections adjustably connected to the other end bar,

a bin e comprising two leaves for each side bar, tlle corresponding leaves of said hinges being rigidly secured to the inner ends of one pair of side bar sections, means for slidably engaging the other leaves of said hinges to the inner ends of the other pair of sidebar sections, and means for detachably securing said other leaves to the other pair of side bar sections, whereby said other pair of side bar sections and the end bar connected therewith may be readily disconnected from the hinges.

2. In a-curtain stretcher the combination of a pair of end bars, a pair of side bar sections adjustably connected to one of said end bars, another pair of side bar sections adjustably connected to the other end bar, a hinge comprising two leaves for each side bar, the corresponding leaves of said hinges being rigidly secured to the inner ends of one pair of side bar sections, means for detachably securing the other leaves of said hinges to the inner ends of the other pair of side bar sections, whereby said other pair of side bar sections and the end bar connected therewith may be readily disconnected from the hinges, and a center bar adjustably connected to those leaves of the hinges which are rigidly connected to the side bar sections.

3. In a curtain stretcher, side bars adjustably secured to end bars, each of said side bars comprising two sections, a center bar, and a hinge connecting the adjacent ends of the sections of each side bar and the center bar, said hinge comprising two leaves, a pin pivotally connecting said leaves and engaging the center bar, a rivet fastening one section to one leaf, a bolt detachably connecting the other section to the other leaf, the said other section having a slot to receive said bolt, a top plate overlapping ,the sections, and a bolt clamping the center bar, the leaves, the sections and the plate together.

4. In a curtain stretcher, side bars adjustably secured to end bars, each of said side bars comprising two sections, a hinge com prising two overlapping leaves pivotally connected, means for fastening the leaves to the sections, flanges at the side edges of the leaves to engage the sides of the sections, and projections on the leaves within the flanges to engage the bottoms of the sections.

5. In a curtain stretcher, side bars adjustably secured to end bars, each of said side bars comprising two sections, a hinge comprising two overlapping leaves pivotally connected, a rivet fastening one leaf to one section, a bolt detachably connecting the other leaf to the other section, flanges on said leaves to engage the edges of the sections, one of said sections having a recess and the other a slot, and projections on said leaves to engage said recess and slot.

6. In a curtain stretcher, an and bar, a pair of side bar sections connected to said end bar, a pair of hinges each having a pair of leaves with one of said leaves rigidly secured to the inner end of one of said sections, the other leaf of each hinge having a.

projection and a slot, another end bar, a pair of side bar sections connected to said other end bar and having slots in their in- 10 ner ends to engage the projections on said hinge leaves, and bolts passing through said last mentioned sections and the slots in said leaves to secure said sections rigidly to the leaves and to permit ready disengagement of said sections from the leaves.

PETER O. HOLMQUIST.

lVitnesses:

WM. 0. BELT, M. A. KIDDLE. 

